Float valve



Sept. 14, 1937.

, A. c. SMITH FLOAT VALVE Fiiedoct. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 sept.f14,1937. y 1 SMITH 2,092,935

40; ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 14, 1.937

UNITED STATE-s FLOAT VALVE Albert C. Smith, Evansville, I Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Servel, Inc., Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware `Application October 1,

6 Claims.

My invention relates tozrefrigeration-and more particularly to an absorption type refrigerator operated by a liquid fuel burner.

It is an object of my invention to provide a refrigerator of this type having a temperature adjustment means accessible to the user.

Another object is to provide a liquid fuel burner for an absorption type refrigerator having an adjustment means which is simple and accurate.

I attain these objects by utilizing a liquid fuel burner regulated by a float valve for heating a generator of an absorption type refrigerator, and provide for gradual adjustment of the burner ame and, thereby, the refrigeration temperature, by fine adjustment of the float valve operation. I may do this, for instance, by adjustably weighting the burner float' with a exible weight element such as a chain which I herein generically term a weight string. My invention will be more fully understood upon consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Aand of which:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation,

broken away, vention; and

Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in vertical section, of a liquid fuel burner for th in Fig. 1. p

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, a refriger- -ator cabinet I8, itself of known construction, includes a thermally insulated storage compartwith parts of a refrigerator embodying my inment II accessible by 4means of a door I2, anda` lower apparatus compartment I3 accessible by means of a downwardlyvopening,,hinged door I il or other suitable closure member. An absorption refrigeration apparatus which may be of the general type disclosed 'in'Patent 1,609,334 to Von* Platen, et al., is mounted in the cabinet Ill and includes a cooling element or evaporator I5 in the storage compartment I I and a generator having a substantially horizontal portion I6 in one side of the lower apparatus compartment I3.

The horizontal portion I6 of the generator is l5 provided with a Vsubstantially horizontal inner heating flue `I'I extending therethrough and is surrounded by an outer heating lue I8. The latter is surrounded by suitable thermal insulating material I9, such as mineral wool, retained in place by a light sheet metal casing 20. 'I'he forward end of the heating flue I8 projects beyond the front end of the casing 20 and also beyond the end of the inner heating ue I1. Beneath the forwardly projecting end of the Aouter heating ue I8 is mounted a liquid fuel burner e refrigerator shown.

assembly 2I having a removable chimney or combustion shield 22 which `extends upwardly into the forwardly projecting end of the louter heating flue I 8 which is provided with a cutaway portion or recess 23 to admit the upper end of the chimney 22. The forwardly projecting end of the iiue I8 `and the upper end of the burner chimney 22 are enclosed by a removable thermally insulated hood 24. For a more complete description of this assembly, reference maybe had to an application Serial No. 734,075 of William R.. -Halnsworth. In the other side of the lower apparatus compartment I3 is a storage tank or reservoir 25 vfor liquid fuel, such as kerosene. Liquid is conducted from the reservoir 25 to the burner 2I through a conduit 26.

The construction of the burner 2 i may be best understood by reference to the detail section in Fig. `2. The burner assembly includes a safetyv valve 2l, a float valve 28,a float chamber 29, a burner tube 30, an annular burner well 3|, and the removable chimney 22. Liquid fuel flowing to the burner through conduit 26Ipasses through the normally open safety valve 21 and a conduit 33 into a valve chamber 34. Flow of liquid fuel from the chamber 34 into the loat chamber 29 is regulated by the float valve 28 to maintain a substantially constant level of liquid in the float chamber. -The iioat chamber 29 includes a portion formed by a float .vessel 35 in which is conf tained asuitable iloat36. The float 3.6"is operatively connected to the valve 28 by means of a4 rod or valve stem 3l.- The iioatSB may be pro.V vided with a recess 38 in thetop thereof forv ay purpose which will hereinafter appear. ,The float vessel isl provided with a suitable cover 39 having an openingJl in the top thereof, over the recess 38 in the float 3B. "Liquid` ilows from the float chamber 29 toward the annular burner well I 3Ithrough the burner tube30 and stands in the burner tube '30- substantially at the same level as that in the float chamber. The chimney 22 which is removably supported above the burner well 3| comprises a pair of perforated concentric cylinders 4I and 42, forming an annular combustionspace above the annular burner well 3|, and an outer shield or chimney comprising a frustoconical shell 53. 'I'he cylinders 4I and 42 and the chimney 43 are retained in their assembled positions by perpendicular bars 4'4 and pins 45.

The float 36 and valve 28 are constructed to normally maintain a' substantially constant level of liquid in the iioat chamber 29 and the burner tube ,30, -for instance, at the level L. At this level the burner produces a relatively small a'me,

herein referred to as the minimum flame. It will be understood that the burner flame and, therefore, the heat produced by the burner may be lincreased by raising the level of liquidin the burner tube 30.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a suitable weight string such as a chain 46. Referring to both Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the chain 46 is suspended over pulleys 41 and 48. The pulley 41 is located over the opening 40 in the float vessel cover 39 so that one end of the chain' may depend through the opening 40 directly above the recess 36 in the float 36. The pulley 48 is located over a spindle or stub shaft 49 so that the other end of the chain 46 may be secured to the stub shaft in such a manner as to become wound and unwound-upon turning of the shaft inopposite directions. The shaft 49 may be suitably journaled in the front of a shield plate 59 which laterally surrounds the burner assembly 2I. A suitable knob 5I is provided for turning the shaft 49 to wind and unwind the chain 46. The stub shaft 49 may be extended through the front of the shield 60 and the knob 5l secured on the end of the shaft outside of the shield so as to be readily accessible from the front of the refrigerator, as illustrated.

It will now be understood that turning the knob 5| to unwind the chain 46 allows the other end top of the float 36 and add its weight to that of the float. If 'the weight of that portion' of the chain 46 below the pulley 41 is not sulcient to carry the weight of the chain between the pulleys 41 and 43, a weight W may be added to the chain 46 below the pulley 41 to insure deposit of the chain upon the float 36 upon unwinding of the chain when the knob 6l is turned. 'Ihe additional weight of that portion of the chain 46 resting upon the float 36 results in a greater displacement and a sinking of the float, and a higher level of liquid in the float chamber 29 is necessary to raise the float suilicientlyvto close -the valve 26. A higher liquid level is therefore maintained in the float chamber and burner tube 36 and a correspondingly greater burner flame is produced.

By suitably providing one or more stops' 52 for the knob 6l, the amount of chain deposited upon the float 36 may be limited to that required for 50 producing the desired maximum flame. which results when the liquid level is at some higher Alevel such as that indicated by the level line H. By. turning the knob 5I intermediate the stop or stops 62, the liquid level in the burner tube and therefore the burner flame may be adjusted between its maximum and minimum values. Since the temperature of the refrigerator cooling element I5 may be changed by changing the heating of the generator I6, adjustment of the burner flame by turning the knob 6i results in adjustof the chain to descend into the recess 38 in the ment of the refrigerator temperature. The knob 6| may therefore be referredto asa temperature adjustment.

Various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, wherefore my .invention is not limited to that which i's shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a kerosene burner for absorption refrigeration apparatus, a float chamber, a valve for regulating iiow of -kerosene to said float chamber, a iioat in said chamber operatively connected to said valve, a weight string movable for deposit .of variable length thereof on said float, and means for moving said string'. l 2. In a kerosene burner for absorption refrigeration apparatus, a float chamber, a valve for regulating flow of kerosene to said float chamber, a float in said chamber operativelyconnected to said valve and having a recess in the'top thereof, a weight string having one end depending into said recess and movable for deposit of variable length thereof therein, and means for moving said string.

3. In a kerosene burner for absorption refrigeration apparatus,l a iioat chamber, avvalve for regulating flow of kerosene to said float chamber, a float in said chamber operatively connected to said valve and having a recess in the top thereof, a chain having one end depending into said recess and movable for deposit of variable length thereof therein, and means for moving said chain. l

4. In a kerosene burner for absorption refrig- .eration apparatus, a float chamber, a'valve for regulating flow of kerosene' to saidfioat chamber, a oat in said chamber operatively connected to said valve and having a recess in the top thereof, a chain having one enddepending into said recess and movable for deposit of variablelength thereof therein, and rotatable means connected to the other end of said chain for moving the latter.

5. A liquid fuel burner for absorption reirig-V iiexible member constructed and arranged to be deposited on said float in various amounts, and

a rotatable member for manipulating said fiexible member.

- ALBERT C. SMITH. 

